Buttonhole-sewing machine



E. B. ALLEN.

BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man Auc 12, 1920.

Patented May 30,1922;

6 SHEETSSHEET 1'.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY E. B. ALLEN.

BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATIONHLED AUG 12. I920.

Patented May 30, 1922..

6 SHEETSSHEET 3- WITNESSES: 5 ==--S INVENTOR E. B. ALLEN.

BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 12. I920.

Patented May 30, 1922.

6 SHEETSSHEET 4.

INVENTOR i fv. 04% BY wnusssss;

E. B. ALLEN. BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJZI I920.

1,418,223. Patented May 30,1922

6 SHEETS -SHEET 5.

WiTNESSES: INVENTOR J I J E. B. ALLEN.

BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE.

MPLICATION FILED AUG. 12, 1920.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

M5011 7711mm (Zn/7P 759mm INV TOR WITNESSES:

Patented May 30, 1922..

orrn STATES PATENT arr es.

EDWARD B. ALLEN, or NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER Mario- FACTURING COMPANY, or ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION or new JERSEY.

BUTTONHOLE-SEWING MACHINE.

Patented May 30, 1922.

Application filed August 12, 1920. Serial No. 403,072. I

December 5, 1905 and No. 885,310 of April 21, 1908, and has for an object to provide a smooth running and durable machine for sewing what is known as a slant-barred buttonhole, i. 0., a buttonhole having barring stitches arranged across one end of the buttonhole-slit at an acute angle to the latter.

A. buttonhole of this type has been proposed for the front closure of the usual starched collar and is designed to prevent the tearing out of the end of the buttonhole and to assist in preventing the formation of a gap at the front of the collar between the ends of the fold which connects the neck and outer bands.

On account of the unusual length and inclined position of the so-called slantbar, no machine has been devised up to the present time, so far as I am aware, for

' sewing a'buttonhole of this character.

With the purpose in' view of avoiding harsh motions, the invention has for a further object to provide an improved needlejogging mechanism particularly adapted for cooperation with the work-holder shifting mechanism during the slant-barring opera tion.v

Still further, the invention has for an object to provide for the release of the sewing thread tension during the slant-barring operation, at which time an abrupt and unusual demand is made upon the supply of sewing thread.

To. the attainment of the ends in view the invention is preferably embodied in a cutting devices are substantially in accord-' ance with the usual practice represented by said patents and the well known Singer Class 71 machine. Material. and have been made, however, in the. mechanism for jogging'the needle and for shifting the work-holder, in order to sew the inclined barring stitches in a feasible and practical manner. To this end, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, a vertical camshaft is arranged in front of the bracketarm standard. This shaft is preferably geared to the needle-actuating shaft and preferably makes not more than one revolution for a buttonhole-producing cycle. At its upper end, this shaft carries a needlejogging cam having easy cam throws, certain of which are of increased amplitude to increase the jogging motion of theneedle during the barring operations. This cam also carries one or more tension-releasing cam-plates which come 'into action during the barring operations.

' The cam-shaft carries at its lower end a important modifications feed-wheel having a camgroove for shifting the work-holder laterally ofthe buttonhole-slit. For shifting the work-holder longitudinally of the buttonhole-slit the feed-wheel is provided with two camgrooves which are entered by separate cam-followers carried by a linkage so contrived as to transmit to the work-holderthe resultant of the individual throws produced by the cam-grooves. By virtue of this mechanism jogging movements of unusually large amplitudemay be imparted to the worlcholder,without recourse to abnormally large cams or cams having harsh or abrupt throws. The mechanism is thus particularly suited for the purpose of relatively moving the stitch-forming mechanism and workholder during the slant-barring operation.

bracket-arm construction.

The invention further comprises certain details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In. the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine embodying the invention. Figure 2 is a top plan view of the machine showing the casing for the needle-jogging cam in horizontal section. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the work-holder and feed-wheel. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan View of the feedwheel and connections for shifting the work-holder. Figs. 5 and 6 are respectlvely, sections on the line 55 and 6-6, Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a section on theline 77, Fig. 1, showing the feed-cam and work-holder shifting connections in elevation as viewed from the rear end of the machine. Fig. 8 is a detail top plan view of the Fig. 9 is a section on the line 99, Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic top plan view showing the positions of consecutive needle-punctures during a buttonhole-producing cycle. Fig. 11 is an enlarged top plan view of a stitched .buttonhole produced by the machine. and

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the lateral throws of the needle and workholder in sewing a buttonhole.

In the preferred embodiment ofthe invention. as illustrated, the machine is constructedwith a frame comprising a bed 1, standard 2, bracket-arm 3 and head 4. The reciprocating needle-bar 5 carrying the eyepointed needle 6 is journaled in the usual swinging gate 7 mounted on pivotal'cem ters 8, 9 and de'rivingits vibratory movement from a needle-jogging cam 10 fixed to the vertical cam-shaft 11 which is disposed in front of the standard 2 and extends from the bracket-arm 3 to a point below the bed 1. The needle-jogging cam 10 has in its I under face a groove 12 which is entered by a follower 13 on one arm of a lever 14 fulcrumed at 15 to the bracket-arm 3. The other arm of the lever 14 is formed with a' segmental slot 16 affording an adjustable connection at 17 with one end of a link 18 the opposite end of which is connected at 19 to the needle-gate 7. 'The needle-jogging cam 10 is disposed above the bracket-arm 3' and is normally mounted within the easing 20.

-The needle-bar 5 receives its reciprocatory motion through the usual pitman con- 'nection 21 .with a crank 22 at the forward 1 end of the main or needle-driving shaft 23 vliich is. journaled within and longitudinally of the bracket-arm 3 and at its rear- ,ward end carries the usual tight and loose *lllQlt-ptlllGYS 24 and 25. respectively, forming part of the usual stop-motion device which also includes the pivoted stop-motion leve1y26 carrying the belt-shipper 27, all as more fully described in my said patents.

The vertical cam-shaft llreceives stepby-step rotary motion from the needle-actuating shaft 23 which carries a bevel pinion 28 meshingwith the gear 29 journaled on the pin 30 which is sustained by a crossmember 31 within the bracket-arm. The hub 32 of the gear 29 is enlarged at its upper end to form a disk 33 into the recessed upper face of which is let a diametrically extending plate 34, Figs. 2 and C rrying a pair of diametrically opposed pins 35 adapted to mesh with the star-wheel 36.

The star-wheel 36 is screwed ito the hub 37 of the pinion 38 which is journaled on the stationary pin '39 and meshes with the gear 40 fixed to the cam-shaft 11. It will be readily understood that the pin and starwheel drive operates to impart a slow step-- by-step' rotary motion to the cam-shaft 11; the shaft 11 pausing while the needle 6is in the work. In the present instance, the ratio of gearing is such that the shaft 11 makes one complete revolution per buttonhole producing cycle.

The work-holder is of usual :form and comprises a longitudinal slide-plate 41 carrying apivotally mounted upper clamping arm 42 to the forward end of which is pivoted at 43 the yoke 44 pivo'tall'y sustaining the clamping foot 45. The longitudinal slide-plate is mounted in suitable guideways' .relative to the transverse slide-plate 46 by the following mechanism. Mounted in the lug 52 depending from the bed 1- is a horizontal bearing sleeve 53- in which is fitted a sliderod 54 to the forward-end of which is -fixed a bracket-piece comprising an upwardly extending curved arm 55 and a laterally ex (tending arm 56. The arm 55' carries at its free end the vertical pin 57 which enters a block 58 fitted to slide along-the guide-slot 59, Fig. 3. in the plate .60 fixed by screws 61 to the forward end of the bed 1. Aportion of the block 58 projects above the plate and enters a transverse slot 62 in the horizontal slide-plate 41.

Longitudinal motion is imparted to the longitudinal slide-plate by means of a special cam-actuated linkage. v Pivoted at 63 beneath the bed 1 is a lever 64 having a follower-roll 65 which enters afcam-groove 66 in the under face :of the feed-wheel 51.

The lever-64 is connected at 67 to .one end "connected by means of a link 73 to the lateral arm 56 of the bracket-piece 55, 56. The floating fulcrum 71 is sustained at one end of a rocknrm 74: pivotally mounted at 75 beneath the bed 1. At its free end the arm carries a roll '76 which enters a second cam-groove T7 in the under face of the feed- -wheel 51, The cam-groove '66 is concentric :amgroove 77 is also formed with a stepped portion 79 which comes into action upon the follower 76 during the sewing of the slant bar at the end of the first side stitching operation. The stepped portions 78 and 79 of the cam-groovesGG and 77, respectively, are so designed as to act simultaneously and in the same direction upon the work-holder. Thus, the motion produced by one cam is augmented by the motion produced by the other cam and the resultant increased motion is imparted to the work-holder.

The tension device 83 for the needlethread is mountedon the casing 20 and is constructed with the usual release pin84c which, in the present instance, rests upon the upper face of the cam-disk 10 to which is secured the tension-releasing cam-plates 85 and 86. These plates ride under and lift the tension-releasing; pin 84 during the barring" operations, thus relieving the needle-thread of the drag); produced by the tension device 83 at the time when an abnormal demand is made upon the supply of needle-thread.

During the side stitching operations, the tension on the needle-thread c, Fig, 11, is such as to cause the latter to lay substantially straight along the buttonhole slit 0; the lower thread-loops being drawn through to the upper side of the work, During the barring operations, however, the tension on the needle-thread is relieved and is not sufficient to draw the lower thread loops to the upper side of the work.

Referring to Figs. 10, 11 and 12, the needle makes the first puncture at the'point 1, Fig. 10, and, as the work-holder is moved step-by-step lengthwise of'the machine-bed by the cam 77, the cam 12 operates to vibrate the needle so that the needle will make slit and depth stitches alternately. At the completion of stitch 43 the work-holder is jogged laterally in the samedirection as the needle but to a lesser extent, asv shown in Fig, 12, whereby the stitch 44: is placed at a distance from the line of overedge stitches equal to the difference between the throws of the needle and work-holder. At the completion of stitch 441-" the work-holder is shifted to central position and the needle is given an increased amplitude of vibration so that stitch 45 will be laid somewhat outside of the rowof depth. stitches. At this point the first side stitching operation is completed and the stepped portions 78 and 79 ofthe feed-cams act to vibrate the workholder longitudinally, the amplitude of such vibratory motion being substantially equal to the distance between stitches 35' and L5,

or a distance of ten Stitches. At the same time, the stepped portion of the camgroove 50 acts through the lever 47 to im: part lateral vibratory components of motion to the work-holder, in time with the lateral vibrations of the needle but opposite in direction as shown in Fig. 12, so that the stitches 46 to 54 will be piled upon one another across one end of the buttonhole-slit to form the slant bar a, one end Z) of which is anchored in the material at a considerable distance from the buttonhole-slit 0. At the completion of stitch 54, which is the last of the slant barring stitches, the opposite throws of the needle and work-holder are reduced in amplitude so that stitch 55 will be laid substantially at the center line of the buttonhole. At the completion of stitch 55 the work-clamp is jogged in the same direction as the needle but to alesser extent, so that the stitch 56 will not be laid beyond the slant bar a but will be set inwardly from the line of. depth stitches 58'-94E, a distance equal to the difference between the lateral throws of the needle and workholder. For the production of stitch 57 the needle and work-holder are shifted to same respective positions which they occupy in the production of stitch 55. During the second side stitching operation the workholder remains in. a laterally fixed position at one side of its central position, while the jogging needle alternately lays the slit and depth stitches. At the end of the second sidestitching operation, the work-holder is shifted to central position and the throw of the needle increased to sew the usual square bar {Z across the end of the button-hole-slit. The needle-vibrating cam is not uniformly stepped throughout its extent but is designed with stepped portions 8]. and 82 of increased amplitude to increase the amplitude of vibration of the needle during the barring operations.

The invention is not to be understood as limited to the form and arrangement of parts shown and described as, in a sense, it is generic in character; the present machine being the first to sew a slant-barred buttonhole. i Having thus set forth the ncture of the invention, what I claim herein is 1. A buttonhole sewing machine having,

in combination, stitch-forming mechanism, a work-holder, and feeding and barring mechanism for relatively moving the stitchforming mechanism and work-holder to sew around and bar oneend of a buttonhole, said feeding and barring mechanism including means for relatively moving the stitch-forming mechanism and work-holder t and fro repeatedly in an inclined direction across one end of the buttonhole during the barring operation. 1

2. A buttonhole sewing machine having, in combination, stitch-forming mechanism includinga laterally jogging needle, a workholder, feeding and vbarring mechanism for moving the work-holder to sew around and bar one end of a buttonhole, said feeding and barring mechanism including means for moving the work-holder to and fro repeatedly lengthwise of the buttonhole slit in timed relation with the lateral jogging movements of the needle duringthe barring operation, thereby forming a slant barred buttonhole.

3. A buttonhole sewing machine having, in combination, a buttonhole slit cutter, a needle mounted for reciprocatory and lateral jogging; movements, a needle-jogging cam making not more than one revolution for each buttonhole-producing cycle and connections for jogging the needle laterally of the buttonhole slit, a work holder', and feeding mechanism including a feed ca'm making not more than one revolution for each buttonhole-producing cycle and connections for moving the work-holder lengthwise of the buttonhole-slit.

4:. A buttonhole sewing machine having, in combination, a buttonhole slit cutter, a needle mounted for reciprocatory and lateral jogging movements, a needle-jogging cam making not more than one revolution for each buttonhole-producing cycle and connections for jogging the needle laterally of the buttonhole-slit, a work-holder, feeding mechanism including a feed-cam making not more than one revolution for each buttonhole-producing cycle and connections for I intermittent rotary motion to said shaft.

6. A buttonhole sewing machine having, in combmatmn, a buttonhole slit cutter, a

needle mounted for reciprocatory and lateral ogging movements, a needleogging cam making not more than one revolution for each buttonhole-producing cycle and connections for ogging theneedle laterally of the buttonhole =slit, a work holder, feeding mechanism including a feed-cam making not more than one revolution for each buttonhol.eproducing cycle and connections for moving the work-holder lengthwise of the buttonhole-slit, sewing shaft, a cam-shaft connected to said cams, and a pin and starwheel timing connection between said shafts.

7. A buttonhole sewing machine having, in combination, a frame including a base, a standard and an overhanging bracket-arm, a needle, a needle-driving shaft and connections for reciprocating said needle, a vertical camshaft extending between the base and bracket-arm, a needle-jogging cam carried at th upper end of said cam-shaft and connections for imparting lateral jogging movements to the needle, a work-holder, a feedcam carried at the lower end of said camshaft and connections for moving the workholder, and means connected with the needledriving shaft for driving said-camshaft.

8. A buttonhole sewing machine having, in combination, a frame includinga base, a standard and an overhanging bracket-arm, a needle, a needle-driving shaft and connections for reciprocating said needle, a vertical cam-shaft extending between the base and bracket-arm, a needle-jogging cam carried at the upper end ofsaid cam-shaft and connections for imparting lateral ogging movements to the needle, a work-holder, a feedcam carried at the lower end of said camshaft and connections for moving the workholder, and means for imparting not more than one revolution to said cam-shaft for each buttonhole-producing cycle.

9. A buttonhole sewing and barring machine having, in combination, a buttonhole slit cutter, a needle mounted for reciprocatory and lateral jogging movements,a workholder, a sewing shaft and connections for reciprocating said needle, a. cam-shaft making not more than one revolution for each buttonhole-producing cycle, a needle-joggingcam on said cam-shaft and connections for jogging'said needle laterally of the buttonhole-slit, and a feed-cam on said camshaft and connections for moving the workholder to place the stitches around the buttonhole-slit, certain throws of the needlejogging cam being increased to increase the amplitude of the jogging movements of the needle in barring.

10. A buttonhole sewing andbarring machine having, in combination, a buttonhole slit cutter, a needle mounted for IBClPl'OCa; tory and lateraljogging movements, a workholder, a sewing shaft and connections for reciprocating said needle, a cam-shaft making not more than one revolution for each slit, certain throws of the needle-jogging cam being increased to increase the amplitude of the jogging movements of the needle in barring, and the feed-cam operating to. impart a jogging movement to the work holder lengthwise of the buttonhole-slit in slant barring one end of the buttonhole.

11. In a machine adapted to sew a group of stitches and then come to rest, in combination, a needle, a needle-jogging cam making not more than one revolution for each sewing cycle, a needle threadtension, and means actuated by said cam for releas ing the tension during one or more periods of the sewing cycle. 12. In a machine adapted to sew a group of stitches and then come to rest, in combination, a needle, a' needle jogging cam making not more than one revolution for each sewing cycle and adapted to increase the amplitude of the jogging movements imparted to the needle during a period of the sewing cycle, a needle thread tension, and means actuated by said cam for releasing the tension during the period of increased amplitude of needle jogging movements. g

13. A buttonhole sewing machine having, in combination, a buttonhole slit cutter, a needle mounted for reciprocatory and lateral jog ing movements, a worleholder, a sewing sha t and connections for reciprocating the needle, a needle jogging cam making not more than one revolution for each buttonhole producing cycle and connections for jogging the needle transversely of the buttonhole slit, a feed-cam andconnections for moving the work-holder to place the stitches around the buttonhole slit and to place barring stitches at at least one end of the buttonhole slit, a tension device for the needle-thread, and means including a cam-element carried by the needle jogging cam for releasing the tension when barrin 14. In a sewing machine, in combination, a driven element, a plurality of driving and corresponding vibratory follower elements, and means connecting said follower elements in series and to said driven element.

15. In a sewing machine, in combination, a driven ator for vibrating said lever, a secondary lever having a floating fulcrum, a second actuator for vibrating said floating fulcrum in synchronism with the vibrations of the primary lever, a connection between said levers, and a. connection between the secondary lever and the driven element.

16. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocating. needle, a work-holder, and means for producing relative jogging movements between the needle and work-holder, said means including a driven element, a plurality of driving elements, and connecelement, a primary lever, an actuthe resultant of the individual throws of the respective driving elements.

- 17. A sewing machine having, in combination, a stitch-forming mechanism including reciprocating needle, a work-holder, and means for producing relative jogging movements between the needle and work-holder, said means including a driven element, a plurality of driving elements, a plurality of follower elements, and means for connecting said follower elements in series and to sai driven element.

18. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch-forming mechanism, a workholder, and means for producing relative jogging movements between said stitchfoi-ming mechanism and work-holder, said means comprising a driven element, a plurality of driving cams, a plurality of camfollowers, one for each of the respective cams, and a linkage connecting said driven element with said cam-followers and operating to' transmit the resultant of the individual movements of said cam-followers to said driven element.

19. In a sewing machine, in combination,

stitch-forming mechanism, a work-holder,

and a plurality of cams and corresponding cam-followers connected to said work-holder,

one of said cams operating to augment the.

movement of the work-holder produced by the other cam-follower.

20, In a sewing machine having, in combination, a frame, stitch-forming mechanism, a work-holder, and means for imparting stitch-positioning movements to the workholder, said means including a plurality of cams, a lever fulcrumed on the frameand actuated by one of said cams, a second lever having a floating fulcrum the position of which is governed by another of said cams, a link connection between said levers,

and means for connecting said second lever with the work-holder.

21. In a buttonhole sewing machine, a buttonhole slit cutter, a work-holder, and means for moving the work-holder lengthwise of the buttonhole-slit comprising, a horizontally disposed feed-wheel, a rod slidable lengthwise of the buttonhole-slit and disposed below said feed-wheel, an operative connection between said feed-wheel and sliderod, and an upright arm carried by said slide-rod for transmitting motion to the work-holder.

22. A buttonhole sewing machine having, a frame including a base, standard, and overhanging bracket-arm, a sewing shaft extending lengthwise of the bracket-arm, stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocating needle connected to said sewing shaft, a work-holder, a feed-shaft extending transversely of the sewing shaft between the bracket-arm and base, a feed-wheel mounted en the feed-shaft, and'means carried by the connections for jogging saidneedle laterally bracket-arm and connected to the sewing of its direction of reeiproeatio n, a needle- 10 shaft for transmitting motion to the feedthread tension, and actuating means on said shaft from the sewing shaft during the cam and connections for; releasing said sewing. I tension.

23. In a machine adapted to sewn group In testimony whereof, I have signed my .of stitches and then come to rest, in combi name to this specification. nation, a reciprocating needle, a cam and I -EDWARD; ALLEN; Q 

